Thursday, 2 July 2015

Five top sportsmen and women talk about mental health

It’s one of my favourite times of the year – Wimbledon fortnight! Sport plays such a big part in so many people’s lives, whether as participants or spectators or both. For me – well, playing tennis is definitely not one of my strengths – but I just love to watch or listen on the radio. You can’t help but admire the abilities of top sportsmen and women at the peak of their game.

"We see pictures of athletes enjoying a celebrity life-style, out on the town, mixing with the ‘beautiful people’ but we rarely stop to consider the downside to the pressure that comes with success. Players must feel dreadful ‘lows’ when they are not selected and a huge emptiness when they face retirement.

The message, which must reach the ears of sportsmen and women at all levels in their game, must surely be that they need to recognise when they are having difficulties. To seek help without fear if they feel the need for it, and to realise that their mental health is as paramount as their physical health. You can’t have one without the other."

Frank is a former British professional boxer who competed for over thirteen years. He won 40 out of 45 bouts, including the World Boxing Council world heavyweight championship in 1995. He retired in 1996 after receiving a serious eye injury during a fight with Mike Tyson.

"If you can do some form of exercise, it clears your head, sets you up and paves the way for you….Try and go to yoga, try and do a bit of walking, a little bit of jogging, go to an aerobics club, go to a gym, go to a sauna or swim. Just think healthy and try and do healthy things. Sometimes it clears your head.”

Clarke Carlisle – footballer

Clarke played for a number of top clubs during his 16 year playing career including Queens Park Rangers and Burnley before retiring in 2013. He was also chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association. In 2013 he presented the BBC’s Football’s Suicide Secret programme.

"I still bear the scars from my battle with mental health. I kept my depression a secret from clubs and teammates for almost two decades and it almost cost me my life….. (Now) I want to do all I can to raise awareness of the importance of mental health - not only to break down the stigma and taboos but also to make sure people know where they can find support."

“More than anything I have ever done in the Olympics this has affected people.”

Sir John Kirwan – rugby player

John played rugby union and rugby league for New Zealand for many years and is now a Rugby Union coach. But he received his knighthood in 2012 for services to mental health as well as rugby.

“One day I was happy go lucky JK … (then) the biggest fear for me was that I was never going to be well again…. " Now he says: "Hang on to hope, grab hold of it.”

Originally he saw seeking help as a weakness, and that he would be regarded as a failure. But then he reached out – he now recognises that depression is not a weakness, it is just something that happens.

Rebecca Marino played tennis professionally for Canada and took on the likes of Venus Williams at the 2010 US Open. A year later, in 2011, she was on the courts at Wimbledon. But she was due at another tournament in the UK when she first spoke to her coach about her depression.

“I was just sad and I couldn’t contain it.”

At first she found it hard to talk to her family and friends about her distress. But when she did, she realised: “Opening up to them was the best thing I’ve ever done.”

Rebecca wants to highlight that it’s OK to feel weak or sad and share your feelings. She feels people are slipping through the cracks, even though there are organisations to help people, she feels individuals are scared or do not know where to go for help. This is why she told her story.

Has sport played a role in your mental health journey? Let us know in the comments box below, or email: pamhinfo@pavo.org.uk